Loose Truss Rods
Source: Guitar Buzzes; Guitar Neck Repairs
Loose Truss Rod:
One rare source of rattles may be hidden inside the guitar neck. This can be a loose truss rod that is tight up against the truss rod channel and rattles during string vibrations.
Be aware that this can also be caused by a truss rod that is actually broken and this, of course is a much more severe condition. We will address that condition in an upcoming article.
Most often a buzzing truss rod is caused by the truss rod being slackened, in other words, there is not any or enough tension on the rod.
The easy fix is to crank a few turns on the truss rod nut and see if that cures the problem. If not, you may have to dampen the vibration of the rod by drilling down to it through the fretboard.
Drill Down Through Fretboard To Access The Truss Rod Cavity:
If the guitar has MOP (mother of pearl) position markers, you are in luck. Just remove a couple of these position markers, one at the third or fifth fret and one at the 9th fret or 12th fret. It is important that you try to get the glue as near to the ends of the rod as possible, or run the risk of the truss rod losing it’s effectiveness.
This works as long as the position markers are solo markers and not a pair, for instance as is often used to mark the 12th fret.
You will want to access the truss rod by drilling down through the fretboard and also through any channel or top plate that covers the rod. Then simply stick your hypodermic needle tool through the hole, fill around the truss rod and re-insert the MOP position markers. This should stop the rattles.
If you do not have good access to the rod with position dot markers, in that they are positioned in pairs or there is not a marker until the 5th or 7th fret, you may have to resort to removing a fret, drill down with a 1/16″ diameter drill bit and into the truss rod cavity. Then inject the glue into the truss rod area, and carefully replace the fret(s). This also is an invisible repair and works reasonably well.
Ultimate Guitar Repair Tip: Note that you could use a bathroom silicone sealer here too, which will give you a flexible seal, giving you the flexibility to put a dab of sealant closer to the center of the rod. Just purchase a tube with the smallest orifice you can find and squeeze it down through the drilled opening.
Tags: Guitar Neck Repairs, guitar rattles, how to repair guitar buzzes, loose truss rods, repair a truss rod
